1. Field of the Invention
A connector arrangement for connecting the insulated conductors of a flat cable with a plurality of tap-off branch conductors includes a plurality of insulation-piercing contacts that extend upwardly from the horizontal upper surface of the rectangular base member of a connector housing. A horizontal actuator plate is arranged in spaced relation above the contacts to define a space for longitudinally receiving the cable. When a housing cover member is initially slidably displaced longitudinally of the base member from an open first position toward a closed second position, a first wedge arrangement displaces the actuator plate downwardly to force the cable into insulation-piercing engagement with the contacts. When the cover member is subsequently displaced to the fully closed second position, a second wedge arrangement clamps the ends of the actuator plate to the cable, thereby to provide the connector contacts with strain relief protection.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known in the patented prior art to provide connector arrangements with insulation piercing contacts, as shown by the U.S. patent to Jaschke et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,866, the German Gebrauchsmuster No. G 92 10 333.2, and the German patent No. DE 44 36 829. Various types of connectors for flat cables have been proposed, as shown by the U.S. patents to Wilson U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,396, Schroll U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,801, and Ann U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,526. Nevertheless, there is a need for further development, particularly also with regard to the fast and secure wiring of flat cables with relatively many conductors.